The applicant has invented a ticket issuing device which comprises a plurality of parts and mechanisms as follows:
A roll stock support assembly PA1 A haull-off mechanism for strip material PA1 A rotary-type guillotine PA1 A drive mechanism suitable for a guillotine PA1 A ticket drive mechanism PA1 A print head mounting assembly PA1 A ticket ejector and stacking mechanism
The above parts and mechanisms have the following essential features:
1. The roll stock support assembly comprises a rotatably mounted central hub, the hub being receivable within a central boss of the roll, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced roller elements rotatable about axes disposed substantially at right angles to the axis of rotation of the central hub, the roller elements being adapted to be engaged by a side of the roll in use.
2. The haul-off mechanism for strip material comprises a pair of rollers defining a nip between them whereof at least one roller is driven characterized in that at least one of the rollers is in the form of two roller segments spaced from one another.
3. The rotary-type guillotine comprises a cutting blade and rotatable cutting drum mounted in parallelism with the blade, with the latter biased towards the cutting drum by biasing means, the cutting drum defining a cutting edge which is angled or generally helically disposed relative to the axis of the cutting drum, so that the cutting edge will engage the fixed blade progressively from one end thereof to the other during rotation of the cutting drum, the cutting drum further defining a rebate adjacent the cutting edge so that in a starting position of the cutting drum a slot is defined between the cutting drum and the blade; characterized in the provision of an adjustable stop formation adjacent the cutting blade adapted to act against the biasing means to set the position of the cutting blade relative to the cutting drum.
4. The drive mechanism suitable for a guillotine comprises a drive motor, a cam formation adapted to be driven by the drive motor and a follower driven by the cam formation and which in turn operates the guillotine via a push rod, lever or the like.
5. The ticket drive mechanism for a ticket issuing device comprises means defining a track along which the ticket is to move, endless drive belt means including a drive section extending along the track, pinch members associated with the belt and spaced along the drive section thereof by a distance less than the length of the ticket so that a ticket moving along the track passes between the belt and the pinch members without being free of at least one pinch member, and means to drive the belt for movement of the ticket past magnetic encoder means.
6. The print head mounting assembly comprises a pivotal jaw assembly defining, front and rear beam formations biased towards an open generally V-shaped position, a printing head mounted on the front beam formation and adapted during printing to be disposed generally in contact with a platen roller with the rear beam member rigidly anchored, so that during a printing operation material passing between the printer and the platen roller is acted on by the force of the biasing means.
7. The ticket ejector and stacking mechanism includes a driven roller, a pinch member adjacent to the driven roller and together with the latter providing a throat into which tickets emanating from the ticket issuing device pass whereby tickets are pinched between the driven roller and the pinch member and are ejected from the throat through the drive action of the driven roller, swing arm means located above the driven roller and spring biased to a position at rest in which it extends across the throat in a direction inclined to the direction of movement of a ticket through the throat so that a ticket, in passing through the throat engages the swing arm and is deflected to a position clear of a succeeding ticket passing through the throat, and a tray for collecting deflected tickets in a stack.